Signaling system



Jan. 9, 1934. E, HERSHEY 1,942,424

SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed July 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II II I! ll ll II II I! II H II I! ll II II II [I H II II II I] II H II I] I1 I! H ll II II II II Q @369 f a@@ gg w i,"

2 n g T, N oo 1m Hal 1'5 Hers h Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNlTED STATES PATENT 0FFI mesne assignments,

to Associated Electric Laboratories, 1110., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application July 13,1931. Serial No. 550,357

6 Claims. (01. 177311) The present invention relates to signaling systems in general, but more particularly to that class of signaling system which is'employed to apprise supervisors that certain events are taking place or about to take place.

Suppliers of commercial power current to industrial and other institutions charge for such power, not at a single definite rate per kilowatthour but at a rate commensurate with what is known as the maximum demand, or in other words, the peak consumption or peak load. Although two consumers may have substantially the same consumption of power over a period of a month, the cost to one may greatly exceed that to the other because of the manner in which the consumption takes place. For example, should one of the consumers have a substantially uniform consumption of power throughout the working period. and the other consumer have periods in which the consumption greatly exceeds that of other periods, the consumer having the uniform consumption will obtain the power at a low rate while the other consumer will obtain the power at a higher rate in accordance with the highest peak load for the payment period. Thus, the consumers are penalized for not uniformly distributing their power consumption.

Therefore, it has been assumed as the principal object of this invention, the provision of a signaling system which will enable consumers to make a study of their conditions in order to more evenly distribute the power consumption or which may be used continuously for supervision of the consumption so that peak loads may be avoided.

A complete understanding of this invention may be had from the detailed description which follows, when studied in conjunction with the associated drawings, comprising Figs. 1 and 2 which by means of appropriate symbols diagrammatically depict the system of the invention.

In the present system, a supervisors position is provided with an impulse sender S, a locking key K, and a non-locking key K, two audible signals B and B, and an indicator lamp panel, all of which are shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 1. The calling device S and the key K are connected as shown to a connector switch H of the well-known Strowger two-directional-motion switch which may be conveniently located with respect to the equipment shown in Fig. 2.

The equipment in Fig. 2 comprises two rotary step-by-step switches R and R1, and the associated control relays. The switches R and R1 are of the well-known rotary type of switch whose wipers move in a forward direction only. In the lower left-hand corner of Fig. 2 there are shown two rectangles M and 0, each of which encloses a pair of make contacts. The rectangle M represents any well-known kilowatt-hour meter having contacts which are closed by cams at any convenient setting of the meter. The rectangle C represents a time-clock which conveni- 66 ently closes its contacts at any desirable period of time.

For the sake of description, it will be assumed that the consumer, knowing his average power consumption for the period of a month and desiring to more equally distribute the consumption over that period, has determined that'his maximum power demand for each half-hour of the working period should be 750 kilowatt-hours. It will be assumed also that the contacts of the kilowatthour meter M are arranged to close with every ten kilowatt-hours registration and that the clock contacts 0 are arranged to close once every half hour.

As will be evident as the description progresses, the rotary switch It takes one step each time the meter contacts M close, or one step for every ten kilowatt-hours registration. Therefore, in accordance with the assumed maximum demand of 750 kilowatt-hours, a ground connection will be made to the seventy-fifth bank contact of switch R, which contact is engaged by wiper 105. A ground connection will also be made to the seventy-third contact. The manner in which these ground connections are made will be explained later.

With reference to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the rotary switch R isprovided with three sets of wipers, l0l--102, 103-104, and 105106. The wipers 101102 are the control wipers and the others the indicating wipers. Each wiper has. access to a bank of twenty-five contacts. With switch R in its normal position, wipers 102, 104, and 106 are engaging the last contacts of their respective banks. With the first step of the switch, wipers 102, 104, and 106 are moved out of engagement with their contacts and wipers 101, 103, and 105 are moved into engagement with their first bank contacts. For the'next twenty-four steps, Wipers 101, 103, and 105 engage contacts and wipers 102, 104, and 106 do not. For the succeeding twenty-five steps, that is, steps twenty-six to fifty, wipers 102, 104, and 106 engage contacts and wipers 101, 103, and 105 do not. Thus, it can be seen that, since the switch R takes one step for each ten kilowatthours registered by meter M, the switch R makes one complete revolution for every five-hundred kilowatt-hours registered. Ihe circuit in which wiper sets 103-404 and 105--106 are included are so arranged that only one of these sets of wipers is efiective at a time. By this arrangement, wipers 103-104 are effective during the first complete revolution of the wiper shaft, or during the first five-hundred kilowatt-hours registration by meter M, and wipers 105106 are effective during the second complete revolution, or during the second five-hundred hours registration. This provides the switch R with one-hundred contacts which require one-hundred steps of the switch wipers to engage all of the contacts one at a time.

In the normal condition of the apparatus in Fig. 2, relay 64 is energized in, the follow-ing circuit: battery, upper winding of marginal relay 54, conductor 89, wiper 102 of switch R and the bank contact with which wiper 102 is in engagement in the normal position of switch R, and winding of relay 64 to ground. The upper winding of relay 54 and the winding of relay 64 are so proportioned that in this circuit just traced relay 64 will operatively energize while relay 54 will not. With relay 64 energized, armature 65 of that relay is in engagement with its make contact, thereby extending ground from resting contact and armature 49 of relay 47, over conductor "'91, armature 65 and its make contact, armature and resting contact of relay 68, winding of relay 66 to battery. Relay 66 operates in this circuit and at its armature 67 and make contact prepares a locking circuit for itself which includes the winding of relay 68 and ground on conductor 91 Relay 63 is prevented from operating in this locking circuit because its winding is short circuitedby the ground supplied through armature .70 and resting contact.

When the supervisor desires to start the functioning of the equipment in Fig. 2, he will close a switch, not shown, in the circuit of the contacts of the kilowatt-hour meter M and the time clock C. With this condition, closing of the meter contacts with every ten kilowatt-hours registration in the meter connects ground to conductor 87 by way of armature 51 and resting contact of relay 47. This ground connection to conductor 87 completes the obvious circuit of the motor magnet 100 of switch R, which motor magnet energizes to prepare the stepping of the wipers in the well-known manner.

Inasmuch as the meter contacts M are only momentarily closed, the circuit of the motor magnet 100 will shortly be opened and the motor magnet will deenergize to advance the wipers one step. Wipers 101, 103, and 105 will be moved into engagement with their first blank contacts as a result of this step and wipers 102, 104, and 106 will be moved out of engagement with their last bank contacts. When wiper 102 is moved out of engagement with its last bank contact, the circuit of relay 64 is opened and this relay deenergiz es. At wiper 101 and its first bank contact direct ground is connected to the conductor 89 which permits relay 54 to operate and at its armature 55 and make contact prepare a 1ocking circuit for relay 47.

Deenergization of relay 64 at its armature 65 removes the short circuit from the winding of relay 68, thereby permitting that relay to energize in series with relay 66. At its armature 69 and make contact, relay 68 connects wipers 103 and 104 to conductor 90, and at armature 70 and make contact, prepares an energizing circuit for relay 71.

Each time now that the meter contacts M close, the motor magnet 100 of switch R operates and the switch takes an additional step. After twenty-five such steps have been taken, wiper 103 moves out of engagement with its bank contact and wiper 10% engages the first bank contact in its bank and the switch continues to step until the wipers are moved into engagement with their last bank contacts. Inasmuch as ground connections have not been made to any of the contacts of the banks of wipers 103 and 104, no operation takes place until wiper 102 engages its last bank contact. When this occurs, the circuit of relay 64 is again completed in series with relay 54 and at armature 65 and make contact of relay 64 the followingcircuit for relay 71 is completed: ground on conductor 91 supplied through armature 49 and resting contact of relay 47, armature 65 and make contact of relay 6%, armature 70 and make contact of relay 68, armature and resting contact of relay 73, and winding of relay 71 to battery. Relay 71 thereupon operates and at its armature 72 and make contact prepares a locking circuit for itself which includes the winding of relay 73 and ground on conductor 91. Relay 73 does not energize in this locking circuit as yet because of the ground supplied through armature 65 and make contact of relay 64.

When the next meter pulse comes in to start the second rotation of the wipers of switch R, the circuitof relay 64 is opened at wiper 102 and this relay thereupon deenergizes, at its armature 65 opening the short-circuit about the winding of relay 73. Relay 73 operates in series with relay 71 when this takes place and at its armature 74 and make contact connects the wipers 105 and 106 to conductor 90.

As the switch R continues to step, its wiper I approaches its twenty-third contact, which corresponds to the seventy-third contact of switch R. When finally wiper 105 engages its twentythird contact the ground connected thereto causes the operation of relay 56 over the following circuit: ground, twenty-third contact in bank of wiper 105, wiper 105, armature 74 and make contact of relay 73, armature 69 and make contact of relay 68, conductor 90, armature 60 and resting contact of relay 59, and winding of relay 56 to battery.

Relay 56 operates in this circuit and at its armature 5'7 and make contact prepares a locking circuit for itself through the winding of relay 59 jjaj to ground at resting contact and armature 53 of relay 17. Relay 59 is not energized in this locking circuit because of the direct ground supplied over the energizing circuit of relay 56.

At its armature 58 and make contact, relay f 56 completes the circuit for the audible signal B,

Fig. 1, over the following circuit: grounded make I contact and armature 58 of relay 56, armature [i5 and resting contact of relay 43, conductor 42,

and through the audible signal B to battery. 11

The audible signal operates in this circuit and informs the supervisor that the maximum demand is being approached, or that seven-hundred-and-thirty of the. seven-hundred-and-fifty kilowatt-hours set as the maximum demand have T been consumed before the specific time of onehalf hour is up. When the next or seventy-fourth impulse is received from the kilowatt-hour meter, the wiper 105 is stepped from its twenty-third to its twenty-fourth bank contact, thereby opening the energizing circuit of relay 56. The locking circuit of relay 56 is now effective and relay 59 operatively energizes in series with relay 56,

at its armature 60 and make contact preparing,

through the winding of relay 61 to energize that relay. Relay 61 thereupon operates, at its armature 62 and make contact locking itself to ground by way of resting contact and armature 53 of relay 4?, and at make contact and armature 63 completing the circuit for the audible signal B by way of armature 46 and resting contact of relay 4.3 and conductor 41.

The audible signal B informs the supervisor that the seven-hundred-and-fifty kilowatt-hours maximum for the period have been consumed beforeIthe time period is up. When the second signal is received, the supervisor will momentarily operate the key K1 to momentarily connect ground to conductor 40, thereby operating relay 43. Relay 43 at its armature 44 and make contact locks itself to ground by way of resting contact and armature 53 of relay 47,v and at its.

armatures 45 and 46 opens the circuits of the audible signals. The switch R will now continue to step until the half hour has elapsed, at which time the clock contacts C will close and relay 47 will operate. armature 52 and make contact locks itself to ground by way of make contact and armature 55 of relay 54, at its armature 51 opening the meter impulsing circuit for the rotary magnet 100, at its armature 19 and resting contact opening the locking circuit of relays 66, 68, 71, and .73 by removing ground from conductor 90, and at its armature 50 and make contact completing the following homing circuit for the switch R: ground supplied through the bank contact of either wipers 101 or 102, conductor 89, armature 50" and make contact, conductor 88, self-interrupting contacts of motor magnet 100, and the winding of that motor magnet to battery. Motormagnet 100 thereupon functions to rotate the wipers of the switch R rapidly to their normal position in the well-known manner. When wiper 102 reaches its normal position, the cirqcut of relay 64 is again completedinseries with the upper winding of relay 54..

Relay 64 thereupon operates and relay 54 thereupon deenergizes, since the windings of these two relays are proportioned so that relay 54 cannot remain operated in series with relay 64. Motor When the pulse from the time clock is re-' ceived by relay 4'? before sufficient pulses had been received from the meter contacts M to step the switch R far enough to have its wiper 105,

Upon operating, relay 47 at its engage the contacts which were markedby the connection of ground thereto, relay 4'7 operates and at its armature 50 and make contact completes the homing circuit for the switch R and disconnects the meter contacts therefrom as explained, whereupon the switch R will automatically rotate to its normal position and no alarm will be given to the supervisor by the audible signals B and B1. v 7

It is not likely that the apparatus will be started into operation at the beginning of a half-hour period unless pains are taken to connect the meter contacts and clock contacts to the apparatus at the proper time. However, regardless of when during the half-hour period the apparatus is started functioning, it will be reset at the end of that period as explained and the counting switch will then start counting at the proper time.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that if the consumption for each half-hour period is below that set as the maximum demand no alarm will be given to the supervisor and the counting switch R will automatically restore at the end of the half -hour period and begin to count anew for the next period. It will also be appreciated that if the consumption is such that the maximum demand is approached and-then reached before the half-hour period is up that the supervisor will be supplied with first a preliminary signal and then a second signal indicative of the conditions of the demand being approached and then reached.

The supervisor, upon receiving the warning signal, will take the necessary steps to have the power consumption reduced for the balance of the half-hour period so that the maximum demand will not be reached or at least surpassed.

If the clock pulse is received after the first signal but before the second signal, the switch R will be restored to normal and the second signal will not be sent. Therefore, the supervisorwill know that the maximum limit has not been reached and that full consumption may again take place. In this manner, by avoiding consumption of more than the maximum demand for each half-hour period, the high peak loads will correspond to the maximum demand and the consumers power cost will correspondingly be reduced.

If the equipment is to be used merely to deter- 'mine at which times during the day the peak loads occur, the supervisor will merely note the time at which the alarms are given. After a continuous study of the conditions reported by this equipment, necessary plans can be made from the data obtained to rearrange the work throughout the various departments of the institution so that the consumption may be more uniformly distributed and the peak loads may be conmade to the bank contacts of the wipers of switch R, but the connections will be made to the appropriate contacts in the banks of the wipers of the switch R1. Inasmuch as relays 66, 68, '71,

Under these conditions, no ground connections will be and 73 are operated afterswitch It has started its second revolution, the engagement of the-- last contact in the bank of wiper 102 by that wiper upon the conclusion of the second'revolu tion will againcausethe operation of relay 64;

as explained; whichat its armature and its-.

make contact willconnect ground on'conductor' 91 through armature io'and'make contactof re-- lay 68, armature and make contact of relay 73, conductor 96; armature 8'1- and' restingy'contact of relay '79, through the winding" of relay 76" to battery. Relay'76 thereupon operatesand' attracts its armatures- '77 and 78, at its armazture 78' preparing a locking circuit for" itself throughthe" winding of relay 79-to-'ground on" conductor 90, which becomes effGCtWGEWhGIPthG next meter pulse isreceived and when theswitch' 100 is steppedout of its normal position to open' the circuit of relay 64 and consequently the ener- Relay 79 thereupon operatesand'at its armature and make contact connectsthe-wipers 203' and204= to conductor' and byway of armature 'Meand' make contact-of relay 73 and armature 69 and make contact of -relay 68to the conductorllii.

Since relay 76 isin its operated condition, the metering impulses will now be employed'to operate the motor magnet 200 of switch R1" in parallel with the motor magnet ofswitchiR. over a conductor 87, conductor 94, and make contact.

and armature 7'7 of relay '76. Rotary switchRl thereupon'operates in the same manner as dicl' switch R to hunt for the contacts marked by the ground connections thereto, whichcontacts upon being reached before'the clock pulse isreceived by relay 47 will cause the operation of the relays 56, 59, and 61, as before described; to give the alarms to the supervisor. switch R1 do not encounter grounded contacts before the clock pulse is received, relay 47. at

relays have been'operated.

its armature 48 and make contact upon reception of the clock pulses completes the homing circuit for the switch R from ground on the bank contacts of wipers 201 and 262, conductor 93, make contact and armature48, conductor 92, self-interruptingcontacts of motor magnet 200, and winding of that motor magnet tov battery. The homing circuit of switch R is completed as before at make contact and armature 50' of 'relay 4'7, whereupon both the rotary switches re.-

turn to their normal positions. Operation of'the relay 4'7 at armature 49'and its make contact opens the locking circuit of relays 66,. 68, 71, 73, 76, 79, and relays 82 and S l'if these latter two now in condition to start counting the meter pulses again to count-the kilowatt-hours registered in the meter during the next time interval.

The manner in which the bank contacts of-thei switches R and R1, Fig. 2', are marked by connecting ground thereto by means of the. equip..-

ment of Fig. 1 will now be explained. It is. to. be

noted, however, that when such means as this is employed for marking bank contacts, only one contact can be grounded at a time. usually groundedwhen this equipment is used for supervisory purposes is not that correspond-- ing to the maximum demand, but the one encountered sooner than that in order to furnish the alarm indicating that the maximum. demandis being approached. When the equipment is to beused in a study of conditions, the contact cor responding to the maximum demand isusually grounded.

If the wipers of The apparatus is.

Thecontact I'n-order that thesupervisor may mark any desired *contactin the banks of either of the'switches Rior- R1; heifi'rst'operatesthe"cut-in keyK' and then -the calling device-S in accordance with the desired number of the bankcontacts; it'being. as- 80 sumed= that the bank contacts of; each switch? availablef or beingsosmarkedare numbered from 01 to-l'OO; inclusive. The bank contacts of the switcHRareavailable bydi'alling the number of the' contact'preiixed by the'digit 1; while'the contacts? of switch .Rl' are available by" dialling the number" of the contact. prefixed" by the digit 2.

Operation ofthezcuteinkey K connects ground to*conductor"3': When the calling device S is turned-offi-normal, the" springs 2' separate and remainseparated until the device again reaches its normal position; Thus; the'groundon conductor 3is removedfrom conductor 4 whentheicalling device is" turned' off-normal.

When releasedto return to its normal posi tion, the calling device Sby means ofispringsl transmits impulses; in the well-known manner, corresponding in numbertothe'ofif-normal movement of the-device. RelayS-ofthe connector H follows the: impulses by energizing upon the closure of 'impulse fisprings 1' and deenergizing upon theopeningthereof.

Upon energizing. relay" 5- at its" armature 7 and make contact: completes the operating. circuitfor theslow-to'release relay 8 and at its armature'dan-d make contact completes the circuitforrelay'19 byway of armature 11 andresting contactofrel'ay 10, armature 22.and resting contact ofrelay'2l, and'relay l9'to battery. Relays 8 'and" 19 thereupon operate, relay8 at its armature 9 andmake contact preparingv a circuit forv relay '10, and relay l9 at'its armature 20 andmake'contact completing, a locking, circuit for'itself including the winding ofrelay 21 and ground" on conductor 3. As long asrelay 5 remains energized, relay 21willb'e short-circuited byhaving'groundconnected' to both terminals of its winding; and consequently will not operate in the-= locking circuit of relay 19.

When" relay 5 deenergizes' upon the opening 129 of theimpulse'springsl, theishort-circuit ofrelay 21 isremoved and this relay operates in series with therelay; 19', whereupon at its armature 221 and' make contact'relay' 2'1 prepares the circuit for relay 24" and at the" break contact of" that-l25 armature opensthe original. energizing circuit of relay- 19.

If the. calling devices has been operated to transmitone-impulse; relay 5 will receive only one-impulse'cnd immediately following the. deenergization upon theopening of the impulse springs 1, normalTspringsZ of'the calling device will'close and connect'the ground on conductor 3 to-conductor4', thereby completing the circuit for-relay loprepared' byarmature 9 ofsrelay 8; Becauseof' the slow-torerelease feature of relay, 8, thisrelaywi'll' rem-ainenergized sufiiciently long after'the deenergiz'ation of. relay, 5 to permit relay: lotooperatea-ndat its armature 13- to lock itself to ground on conductor 3. Relay 10at its armaturell and' make contact prepares. the circuit for the vertical magnet34 of the connector andat'its armature 12'; and make contact pres pares the-circuitfor the .slow-to releaserelay 14.

Ift'he callingdeviceh'as beenoperatedto transmit twov impulses, relay 5 will energize anddeenergize twice'before the dial returnsto normal not operated 'whemrelay 5*energizes the second time, the circuit of relay 24 is completed by way of armature 6 and make contact of relay 5, armature 11 and resting contact of relay 10, armature 22 and make contact of relay 21, and armature 28 and resting contact of relay 26. Relay 24 thereupon operates and at its armature 25 and make contact prepares a locking circuit for itself which includes the winding of relay 26 and ground on conductor 3. However, relay 26 will not operate until relay 5 deenergizes at the end of the second impulse and removes the ground from the upper terminal of its winding. Operation of relay 26 in series with relay 2 1 following the deenergization of relay 5, at the armature 27 disconnects ground from the upper wiper of the connector 1-1 and connects ground to the lower wiper 31 thereof.

Immediately following the circuit deenergization of relay 5 the springs 2 of the device S close and the relay 10 thereupon operates as beforeto prepare the circuit of the vertical magnet 34 and the circuit of the slow-to-release relay 14.

It can now be appreciated that when one impulse is transmitted by the calling device S in accordance with the first digit of the number being dialled by the supervisor only relays 19 and 21 will be operated and consequently the wiper 30 is the effective wiper since ground is connected thereto by way of resting contact and armature 27 of relay 25, and when two impulses are transmitted by the calling device S, relays 24 and 26 will also be operated, thereby rendering wiper 30 ineffective and wiper 31 eifective by the connection of ground thereto through make contact and armature 27 of relay 26.

As can be seen by the drawings, the C bank of contacts available to wipers 30 and 31 comprise sets of contacts of two contacts per set which are arranged in the well-known manner tacts of the banks of rotary switch R accessible to wipers 103 to 106, inclusive, while the lower contacts are connected individually and in numerical order to the contacts of the banks of the switch R1 available to wipers 203 to 206, in-

elusive. Inasmuch as this connection of contacts of the C bank of connector H with the contacts of the banks of the switches R and R1 is readily understood, the two-hundred wires included in this connection are represented in the drawings by a single conductor 37 and the brackets indicating the connections to the banks.

From this arrangement of the wipers 30 and 31 and the C banks of contacts it is readily apparent that when wiper 30 is the effective wiper a bank contact of switch R will be marked by ground after the wiper 30 has been positioned in engagement with one of the contacts while when wiper 31 is the effective wiper, a bank contact of switch R1 will be marked by the positioning of that wiper. I

As indicated in connection with the C1 bank of contacts available to wipers 32 and 33 of the connector H, the upper contacts of the contact sets are multipled together according to vertical rows while the lower contacts of the sets are multiply connected together according to horizontal rows. The first row of vertically multipled contacts is connected to the #1 lamp of the units series of lamps of the indicator panel while the othervertical rows are numerically connected to the other lamps of this unit series. These connections of the vertical rows to the units series of lamps of the indicator panel are indicated by the conductor 39.

The horizontal rows of multiply connected contacts of the bank C1 are connected in numerical order to the ten indicating lamps of the tens series of lamps of the indicator panel as indicated by the conductor 38.

In accordance with the previous assumption that the seventy-third contact of the banks of switch R was marked in order to give a warning signal that the maximum demand of sevenhundred-and-fifty kilowatt-hours is being approached, the supervisor will operate the calling device S in accordance with the number 173 in order to perform that marking. As explained, when the calling device S is operated to transmit one impulse in accordance with the first digit of'the number only the relays 19 and 21 are operated before the operation of the relay l0 and consequently wiper 30 is the effective wiper. Operation of the relay 21 at its armature 23 and make contact completes a circuit for the #1 indicating lamp of the thousands series TI-I of 100 lamps of the indicator panel by way of armature 29 and resting contact of relay 26. When the calling device is operated for the second digit 7 of the assumed number, the relay 5 will energize and deenergize seven times in rapid succession and at its armature 6 and make contact transmits seven impulses by way of armature 11 and make contact of relay 10 and armature 17 and resting contact of relay 16 to the vertical magnet 34. At its armature 7 and make contact, relay 5 transmits impulses to the slow-torelease relay 10 which energizes upon the first impulse and remains energized throughout the series because of its slow-to-release feature, at armature 15 and make contact preparing the circuit for relay 16 which will be completed from ground on conductor 3 over conductor ,4 upon the closing of the springs 2 when the calling device S returns to normal.

The vertical magnet 34 responds to the seven impulses to elevate the wipers 30 to 33, inclusive, opposite the seventh level of bank contacts in the well-known manner.

Operation of relay 16, upon the return to normal of the device S, opens the circuit of the vertical magnet 34 at armature 17 and resting contact and prepares the circuit of the rotary magnet 35 at the make contact of thatarmature, and at make contact and armature 18 looks itself'to ground on conductor 3.

When the calling device S is operated in accordance with the digit 3, or the third digit of the assumed number, three impulses will be transmitted by way of armature 6 and make contact of relay 5, armature 11 and make contact of relay 10, and armature 17 and make contact of relay 16 to the rotary magnet 35, whereupon the rotary magnet will function to position the switch wipers on the third set of contacts of the seven levels of the respective banks of these w wipers. The return of the calling device S and the closing of the springs 2 connects ground from conductor 3 to conductor 4 and consequently to the wipers 32 and 33. Therefore, when these wipers are moved into engagement with the third set of contacts in the seventh level of bank C1, ground will be connected through these two contacts and consequently to the circuits of the indicating lamp. Ground connected through wiper 32 to the upper contact of the third set 15c 33 will cause the #7 lamp of the tens series T .oflamps oftheindicating panel to light. 'Therefore, the number 1'73 will be displayed on the :panel to indicate to the supervisor the number .of the bank contacts in the indicating'switches of Fig. 2 which have been marked.

Engagement-of wiper 30 with the upper con- {tact 'of the *third set'of contacts in the seventh .level of bank C connects .ground to that con- .tactand consequently to the seventy-third'contact in the banks of switch R which corresponds :to the twenty-third contact in the bank of wiper 105 of that switch.

.=If the :first digit-had been 2 instead of 1, .the wiper 31 would have connected ground through the .lower contact of the third set 1 of :contacts in the seventh level of the bank 0, and thus the -seventy-third contact in :the banks of switch R1 would have been marked instead of the: seventy- =third :contact .in the banks of switch 1R. also would .have iresulted :in the lighting of the #2 lamp of the thousands series of lamps in the :indicator panel iby way 'of armature 129 and -make-contactof relay 26. The lighting :of the tens andunitsilamps of i the indicatonpanel would have been :the :same in this case because they .are unaffected :by the .first :digit :dialled.

flhe'conneotor H remains in thisoperatedcon- :dition as long as :the cut-in key :remains :in the operated position and consequently-the lamps of the indicator panel remain lighted and the contact :in the banks'of either switch Rzor 5R1 remains grounded asrlong as thisskeyremainsi'operated. Restoration of the locking key ;K :re- -moves ground from conductors 3 and 4, thereby unlocking relays l0, 1-6, :19, 21, .and relays 24 and ;26 :if these latter two ;are operated, :and through the .norma'lly made con'tacts :01 this :key, mompletes :the obvious circuit ffor'ttherreleasetzmagnet .136 of ;the connector through the oft-normal springs 36 which were closed iupon the first 7 verticalstep o'fithe'connectorl-l. Release magnet 136 ithereup'on functions in the well-known :manner to :restore the switch wipers to normal, whereupon the circuit of the irelease magnet is opened at theoffen-ormal springs :36 and the displayed :number onithe indicator panel is defaced, while the markingofthezbank contactofsswitch Reis removed.

.From the foregoing, it will :be appreciated that this invention provides simple :and flexible apparatus which can be used either-as supervisory apparatus :by :the consumers to provide supervision :of their power consumption, or which may be used :in order to de'termine just when dur'ing a working day 'the maximum consumption takes place, thereby providing da'ta which may be used to work out plans whereby the powerconsumption may hemore'uniform'ly distributed over the working period 'in' 'order that thecostof the-power to the consumer may be reduced'to apracticalmini- It will also be appreciated that means have "been provided whereby marking of the suit able contacts of the banks .of the indicating switches may .be accomplished .from a remote point .for the'convenience of the supervisor.

'It is toibeunderstood, however, that the equipment of Fig.2 is capable of use without themarking means comprising connector .Hand its special arrangement of wipersand bank contacts, in-

asmuch as. the marking can be accomplished manuallybytheuseof ground clips or any other means.

The iinventionihaving been thus described, what is considered novel therein and what it is desired to :haveprotected byLetters Patent will be pointed out in the claims which follow:

What is: claimedds 1. :In .a signaling system, a switch having a :Wiper adapted to Joe-advanced in a step-by-step amanner from ainormal position through a plurality of positions, :means for operating said switch to step ,said wiper "at a varying speed iromdts normal position, :means for marking a ,desired oneof-said plurality of positions by con- .nectinganelectric-al potential thereto, means responsive to said wiper encountering said potential for giving a signal indicative thereof, and .means operating automatically at the-end of a :given time interval to cause said switch to re" turn .said wiper to its normal position, said re- "turnatonormalof said wiper preventing said giving of .a signal if said wiper fails to encounter said potential withinsaid time interval.

2. Inasignaling system, assupervisors station provided with "a signal, a remotely locatedrswitch havingzawiper; adapted to be advanced in a stepby-step rmannerefrom a normal position through ;-a plurality of other positions, means for operating said switch :to step said wiper ata varying speed from :its normal position means associated "with said switch :and :remotely controlled from said station to connect an electrical potential .to -a desired one of said other positions, means associated withsaid switch-and operated when said wiper encounters said potential .for operatring the signal at saidstation, and means-operating automatically at the end of a given time interval for causing said switch to return said wiper to EH35 normal position, .saidreturnto normal of said wiper preventing the operation of rsaidz-signal if said wiper :does not encounter said potential within-said time interval.

13.11). combination, =an energy-consumption .meter, :a :clock, a signal, a single-directional, multi position operating member having .a normal position and having oneof its other positions marked, .means operated by said meter for advancingssaidmember oneposition each time said meter :registers :a given amount of energy-consumption, :said member being advanced progressively from :its :normal position, -means operated :by said-clockvat'the expirationof a givenzperiod for advancing'ssaid-memoer fromwhatever position it is in at :that time through its remaining positions to its :normal position independent of said uneter, and means effective whenever said member is advanced to :said marked position by said :meter for operating. said'signal.

4. :In a signaling system, :a supervisors station having an impulse-sender .and:a signal, .a remote- .ly-located, 'multi-zprosition switch having .a norsma'l :position, ."means :for progressively advancing said :switch .from one position to :the'next sat a varying speed, means associated with said switch and directively operated by impulses transmitted by saidrsenderior selectively marking any position of saidswitch, means operating automatically at the endof agiven time interval formestoring said switch to its normal position, and meanszefiective'whenever said switch reaches the :marked position within said given time :interval .for operating said signal.

5. Ina signaling system, a supervisors station having an impulse sender "and a signal, a remotely-located, multi-position switch having a normal position, means for progressively advancing said switch from one position to the next at varying speeds, a switch directively operated by impulses transmitted by said sender for selectively marking any one of the positions of the first switch, means operating automatically at equally recurring intervals of time for restoring the first switch to its normal position, and means effective whenever said switch is advanced to its marked position within any one of said time intervals to operate said signal.

6. In a maximum demand supervisory system, the combination with an energy-consumption meter, having contacts operated each time the meter registers a given number of units, and a time clock, having contacts operated at equally recurring intervals; of a multi-position switch having a normal position, means operated by said meter contacts each time they are operated for advancing said switch to its next position, whereby said switch is advanced progressively from its normal position in accordance with the amount of energy consumed, means operated by said clock contacts each time they are operated for restoring said switch to its normal position, an auxiliary switch, means for directively operating said auxiliary switch to selectively mark any position of the first switch, and means effective whenever said first switch is advanced under control of said meter contacts to the one of its positions so marked to give an indication of such conditions.

HARRY E. HERSHEY. 

